Bangaloreans against privatisation of lakes
Vasanthi Hariprakash
Tuesday, June 24, 2008, (Bangalore)
Bangaloreans came put in large numbers this weekend to try and stop the privatisation of a lake in the city.
Bangalore's disappearing lakes have been a major cause of concern, and perhaps one of the reasons for the flooding of parts of the city during the monsoon.
And while the authorities say commercialisation will help save lakes, not everybody is convinced.
If a signature could help save a lake, wouldn't you like to add yours to this poster? That's the thought that got many Bangaloreans to the Agara Lake on a Sunday morning. Their demand: Stop the privatisation of Bangalore's lakes.
Hoteliers and builders have been given leases around four lakes - and the people here say privatising the tanks, would mean more garbage and disaster for bird life.
Sohel Mohammed, a Bangalore Resident says, "It's very important to preserve this as a habitat. Come winter you even have waterfowl coming from as far as Siberia, Eastern Europe. It would also mean displacement of the fishing communities."
Ramesh Shivaram, another Bangalore resident says, "You saw a bunch of village kids swimming here, fishing here; it's their right. No reason why this should be privatised, this is happy in its way, just allow it to be."
And it's a protest, they hope, will help conserve the lakes for future Bangaloreans.